[mythtv-users] MythTV setup distributed over WAN link

[Blammo]

On 10/4/07, Taco Mel <taco_mel at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I wish to record a small number of shows that are not
> available in my area (mainly a couple PBS shows our
> local affiliate does not pick up).  I have a spare
> machine and tuner card to place at a family member's
> home.  My plan is to transfer the files using DVDs or,
> when I visit, a portable HDD.  (Or occasionally a
> network copy in the middle of the night.)
>
> My first thought was to set the remote machine up as a
> completely isolated MythTV system, with its own
> database, and occasionally log in to it remotely by
> SSH to check things out or burn files to a DVD.  I'll
> then have *.mpg files that I can somehow import into
> MythTV.  Somehow I will then have to construct
> metadata.
>
> My second thought was to integrate the remote system
> into my existing MythTV setup so that I can manage and
> monitor the entire system from one place.  I'll set up
> OpenVPN between the sites, which I have done before
> for various projects so that's no problem.  I believe
> that I will then have all the metadata and when I move
> the corresponding *.mpg file into one of my storage
> groups, it will stream from my local backend.
>
> However, I *do not* want my local frontends to try to
> stream a program from the remote backend, because it
> either will be too slow to work, or it will use enough
> bandwidth that said family member might no longer be
> willing to host said remote backend.

I'm thinking a combination of:
-- "master backend override" to force streaming from the "master"
-- "commflag/transcode only on recording backend"
-- rsync over a reasonable WAN

and you could probably run a completely remote backend. Nice idea,
makes me tempted to try..